A man has been arrested after a stolen car was driven down the M180 the wrong way after ramming a police car.

Humberside Police were involved in a pursuit with a silver Ford Focus yesterday that almost crashed into oncoming traffic as it recklessly drove the wrong way down the M180.

The driver of the vehicle rammed a police car, as it attempted to stop him, before crashing into a silver BMW belonging to another driver.

The car, which had been stolen in Rotherham, was abandoned after it came off the motorway at Barnetby Top and an investigation was launched to find the driver.

The driver of the vehicle rammed a police car before crashing into another car

South Yorkshire Police have arrested a man in connection with the theft of the vehicle and are working to establish if he is connected with the incident on the M180 yesterday.

Head of the special operations unit Chief Superintendent Christine Wilson said: "The car failed to stop for the roads policing officers and continued at speed.

"A police car was badly damaged when it was rammed when we attempted to stop the vehicle and a member of the public’s car was also struck. Other drivers took quick evasive action to avoid the Focus as it rejoined the motorway and travelled at speed into oncoming traffic.

"Thankfully, no one, officers or members of the public were hurt in the collisions.

"We located the car, abandoned, at Barnetby Top and an investigation was launched to trace the driver of the vehicle.

"Our colleagues in South Yorkshire have arrested a man in connection with the initial theft of the car and we are working to establish if this man is connected to yesterday's incident.

The vehicle was abandoned at Barnetby Top following the chase on the M180 (Image: David Haber)

"I want to thank those drivers on the M180 yesterday who all dealt with the situation in the best way. Thanks to their vigilance we avoided what could have been an extremely serious situation.

"People were also quick to call us and report what they were seeing and we have been provided with dash cam footage too, which will form a key part of our investigation."

A driver described her shock yesterday after narrowly missing the car as it came speeding towards them.

Jenny Collingwood said: "We were on the fast lane of the M180 when a car being driven on the wrong side of the road came towards us at full speed.

"I think the car was a silver Ford Focus and one side of it seemed to be all dented and damaged.

"Luckily, we were warned prior by a truck driver who flashed his lights at us from the other side of the road.

"I just pray that they don't crash into someone with the speed they were going."

"We managed to move out of the way in time and there were police cars on the other side of the road following it, but they were a good bit behind."

Humberside Police are appealing for anyone who may have dash cam footage of the incident or any information that may be able to assist them, to call the force on non-emergency number 101, quoting log number 326, of 04/09/19.

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